The mess in Pakistan today results from our collective tendency to look for quick fixes by well-intentioned saviours. This is the reason why support has been there for previous military rulers, the whole lot of them, in the last 60 years. Civilians haven’t maintained an excellent track record either, with the numerous patches of civilian governments having been corrupt, unsuccessful and one of them arguably responsible for the splitting up of the country. The point now is, that we have to have some system of checks and balances in place, and that can only start with a free judiciary. A free judiciary that should select likeminded judges so that a pattern can be set for the future, taht ensures a free election and accountability bureau and hence a transparent civilian setup. Military power and expenditure must be curtailed, and that is going to be our biggest long term challenge. As for now, Musharraf must be resisted, and the judges he’s fired reinstated.